On September 24, authorities in Benin arrested three men suspected of organizing a coup d’etat against President Patrice Talon. Businessman Oliver Boko is accused of paying approximately 1.5 billion West African francs (2.5 million U.S.D.) to Colonel Djimon Dieudonne Tevoedjre, head of the Republican Guard and Talon’s security. Former Sports Minister Oliver Homeky is also implicated in the attempted coup after being apprehended handing over bags containing the bribe money. Benin’s special prosecutor for financial crimes and terrorism states that Boko paid Tevoedjre to ensure he would not resist during the takeover. Boko, who is also a friend of Talon, had recently signaled his intention to run for the presidency after Talon steps down in 2026. 

This attempted coup in Benin follows a recent trend of military takeovers and attempted coups in Africa since 2020. Eight successful military coups in Gabon, Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Guinea, Chad, and Mali have toppled civilian governments. Numerous other attempts have failed, but the rate of democratic backsliding in Africa has shifted significantly in the past four years. The region’s stability has been called into question after all these coups. After the coup in Niger, regional entities have imposed sanctions and threatened harsh military actions to restore the civilian government. However, sanctions are always tricky, especially economic ones. They are not effective if there is at least one country that refuses to participate in them. The additional negative impact on civilians is also another thing to consider during discussions around sanctions. Prevention is the most effective way to avoid future coups; however, this is also a slow solution. Coups are often the result of popular dissatisfaction with the current government paired with mismanagement of the country’s affairs and economy by those in charge. Transparency and good governance are necessary to help prevent coups from occurring. 

Benin is one of Africa’s more stable democracies, despite being underdeveloped and rife with corruption. The country has seen economic growth in recent years, but still ranks among the world’s poorest countries. Clashes in the northern border with Burkina Faso are often attributed to land disputes between communities on both sides of the border. Current president Patrice Talon won in 2016, promising to address terrorism, cross-border violence, and foster national unity. However, critics say Benin’s democracy has declined since he took office. Benin’s electoral commission is packed with his allies, who prevented opposition parties from running the country’s parliamentary elections in 2019. Talon was re-elected in 2021, but has promised to step down in 2026.